Understanding the Gunner in Monster Hunter Wilds
In Monster Hunter Wilds, the Gunner is a melee weapon with explosive effects. In the current version, what is the optimal critical setup for the Gunner? Additionally, how should the ancient weapon be chosen? Below are insights from "The Relentless Killer" regarding the optimal critical build for the Gunner in Monster Hunter Wilds. Hope this is helpful to everyone.
Monster Hunter Wilds Guide: Equipment and Crafting Tools
With the launch of the Monster Hunter Wilds guide and crafting tools, you can find comprehensive information on equipment, materials, and monsters, along with an automatic setup feature to help you navigate your hunting journey!
As for my personal experience with the Gunner, I have spent over 60 hours completing the main storyline and spent two additional days farming for gems and ancient weapon shards. I consider myself an adequate entry-level Gunner and am now ready to research optimal setups for endgame builds.
Personal Setup
Critical Strike Level 5 + Weakness Exploit Level 5 + Ancient Weapon with 35% Critical Rate: This setup totals to an 85% critical rate. The triggered elemental effects are decent, and the single large shield recovery can be quite tricky. However, the effect of maintaining health through breaking monster wounds allows for a self-sustaining cycle, reducing the need for healing items.
Optimizing Your Build in Monster Hunter Wilds
Currently, the endgame monsters feature a combination of the Lock Blade and Black Silk, which seems to reduce damage from elemental weapons. Therefore, I plan to replace my current water-element lance with a physical lance for a trial. Since multiplayer lacks wounds more than solo play, I feel that the effectiveness of using Attack Boost 5 and Weakness Exploit 5 is not very good. Thus, I want to optimize my current equipment as well. After researching, I find that there are two mainstream general configurations available. The one I’m using is among them, while the other utilizes the Thunderjaw set effect to trigger Evade Extender 3.
This build currently has two variants: 1. Thunderjaw B Head and Chest + Iceborne B Arms and Legs + Lock Blade B Waist + Weakness 2 Charm. The effects yield Weakness Exploit 5, Challenge 5, and Evade Extender 3. This configuration has one Level 2 slot and four Level 1 slots, totaling 30 for Weakness Exploit (not counting the temporary 20 for wounds), 15 for Challenge, and 30 for Evade Extender, summing up to a total of 75 crit rate. Adding an additional 25 crit from the weapon or slots will cap it. This Iceborne setup can provide additional attack power.
Equipment and Build Recommendations
Tank1209, a contributor from Bilibili, has provided a great strategy. Use the Hurei B Head, along with Black Silk Stockings and the Fire Octopus B/any breastplate as needed. This setup leaves you with two level 3 slots, one level 2 slot, and two level 1 slots. The result is a total of 5 challenges with 3 Frenzy, 3 Invincible, and altogether 70 critical hits. If either the weapon or slots can provide an additional 30 critical hits, you will be fully equipped for battle.
I believe the second type of build offers a much wider selection. This is because the breastplate can be swapped for others that enhance attack or critical hit, such as the Lock Blade B with Weakness Exploit 1 in the 3+2 slot, the Two-Headed Ape B with Revenge 2 in the 2 slot, or the Snow Lion Challenge 2 in the 2 slot, allowing for other talismans to be used.
Physical Weapon Choices
Since attributes are free, consider crafting two physical weapons with poison and sleep capabilities (I’m not familiar with how blast damage works, so I hope someone can enlighten me). This way, when switching areas, you can swap in a different abnormal weapon to trigger effects. Having two more abnormal attacks should greatly improve performance, whether in solo or multiplayer modes.
Weapon Upgrade Choices
In terms of upgrades, focusing on Attack 5 and Critical Hit 5 can feel a bit lacking. To illustrate, let’s take the R8 Long Gun, which I am more familiar with.
Weapon Attributes Comparison in Monster Hunter Wilds
Attribute Gun Lockblades: 220 Attack, 0 Crit, 350 Elemental, Medium White Sharpness.
Crit Gun Black Silk: 210 Attack, 20 Crit, 250 Elemental, Long White Sharpness.
Physical Gun Flame Tail: 240 Attack, 5 Crit, 200 Elemental, Medium Blue Sharpness.
After comparing, I found that the weapon's base attributes can be viewed as 10 Attack: 5 Crit: 50 Elemental. This means the base attack of the weapon should be slightly higher than the crit. Therefore, I mentioned that opting for base attack options might seem a bit disadvantageous, but in reality, accumulating base attack power is more challenging, while crit can be increased more easily.
Exploring the Attributes of Ancient Weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds
Let's take a look at the attributes of ancient weapons, with an attack of 190, 5% crit rate, 300 elemental damage, and 150 abnormal status. It has a short white sharpness. The crafting options allow for an enhancement of +15 attack or +15 crit rate. After 5 upgrades, you can choose +5 attack, +5 crit rate, +50 elemental damage, or +30 sharpness. It seems you cannot have the same attributes enhanced for all 5 upgrades, so the best choice would be +7 attack and +1 sharpness. Additionally, the weapon jewels can include attack +3 and crit rate +7, which makes reaching critical levels easier.
In the equipment jewels, adding attack through skills like Agitator, Critical Boost, and Challenger increases attack power significantly. Therefore, when enhancing ancient weapons, it feels best to focus on what your build lacks. If you can incorporate skills that provide percentage-based boosts to attack, that would be a considerable enhancement. Conversely, skills that offer fixed attack boosts such as Challenger or Critical Boost would provide better value in terms of crit rate. After all, the difference between an 85 explosion and a 100 explosion seems negligible. These are just my personal insights on the game, and I hope the experts in the community can share their tips and insights as well.
Lastly, here’s a sharpness correction:
Introduction
If you're new to the Monster Hunter Wilds universe, you'll want to equip yourself with the right knowledge to survive and thrive. The game is rich with monsters, crafting, and quests. To help you get started, we’ve compiled essential tips to set you on the right path.
Understanding the Basics
Monster Hunter Wilds emphasizes collaboration, strategy, and skill. Familiarize yourself with the game mechanics, weapon types, and monster behaviors to maximize your success in hunts.
Choosing the Right Weapon
Your weapon choice can significantly impact your gameplay. Each weapon type has its unique advantages and learning curves. Experiment with different styles to find the one that suits your play style.
Crafting and Resources
Gathering resources is crucial in Monster Hunter Wilds. Collect materials from the environment and defeated monsters to craft weapons, armor, and potions that will aid you in battles.
Hunting Monsters
Understanding monster behavior is key to a successful hunt. Study their habits, weaknesses, and attack patterns to devise effective strategies. Remember to be patient and observant.
Teamwork is Key
If you're playing with friends, team coordination can enhance your hunting efficiency. Communicate, share resources, and strategize together to take down formidable foes.
Conclusion
Ready to dive into the adventure of Monster Hunter Wilds? With the right tips and strategies, you'll be well-equipped to tackle any monster that comes your way!
👉 For more information, please see:Monster Hunter Wilds General Strategy